Platen printing machines



Feb. 2, 1965 A. BUTTNER PLATEN PRINTING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet '1 Filed Dec. 18, 1961 Feb. 2, 1965 A. BUTTNER PLATEN PRINTING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 18, 1961 Feb. 2, 1965 A. BUTTNER 3,163,039

PLATEN PRINTING MACHINES Filed D90. 18, 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 2, 1965 A. BUTTNER 3,168,039

PLATEN PRINTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 18, 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 2, 1965 A. BUTTNER 3,168,039

PLATEN PRINTING MACHINES Fiied Dec. 18. 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet s Feb. 2, 1965 A. BUTTN ER 3,168,039

PLATEN PRINTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 18, 1961 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 United States Patent Ofilice B,T.iii,@3% Patented Feb. 2, 1%65 3,163,6 3i PLATEN PRINTHF G MACHHNFE Artur Iiiittner, Heidelberg, Germany, assignor to Schnellpressenfahrih Ahtiengeseilschaft Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Dec. 18, 1951, Ser. No. 159,964 @iainrs priority, application German i, 1% Sch some 12 QiSiEHS. (Cl. fill- 2373 The present invention relates generally to platen printing machines and more particularly to an apparatus for register-retaining alignment of sheets fed to the platen before printing in automatic platen machines.

In known register-retaining apparatus vertical alignment of the sheets is effected by feeding the stock or sheets against two front feed guides, while the horizontal or lateral alignment of the sheets is effected by a lateral guide which pushes the individual sheets into exact position before printing. This method is especially used in platen machines in which the sheet to be printed is fed by means of reciprocating suckers from the feed stack directly to the feed guide at the platen.

In platen machines with a sheet feed and delivery operating in such a manner alignment of the sheet fed to the platen was hitherto effected by means of a movement of the feed guides directly obliquely upwardly with the sheet in the direction of the lateral guide. Since it is necessary for the sheet to remain in the region of the grippers during impression so that after impression it can be seized again by the grippers and conveyed to the dclivery stack, the lateral guide in this kind of platen machine was hitherto arranged only at the side of the platen or the side at which the sheet was seized by the gripper. This created the disadvantage that in printed matter which is printed on both the front and back in conformity, when printing on the back, a diiferent side edge of the paper is held against the side guide. This caused the differences in the cutting of the paper to have a disadvantageous effect on the register, during printing, of the back surface to the front surface.

It has been proposed in machines of this kind to move the feed guides only vertically and to effect the side alignments by means of a side guide moved in the direction of the sheet. In this case the sheet could only be aligned to one side.

According to the present invention an arrangement for register-retaining alignment of a sheet in a platen printing machine, in which the feed delivery of a sheet is effected alternately by two grippers intermittently turned through 90 parallel to the platen plane and swung simultaneously with the reciprocated platen, is characterized in that reversible control means are adapted to change the direction of movement of feed guides relative to a side guide or vice versa in order to align the fed sheet, optionally from left to right or vice versa, before impression.

The right hand side guide may be so controlled during use that the grippers, which move over the platen, are adapted to pass the platen surface without coming into contact with the side guide. It is thus possible for the side guide to move in the direction toward the fed sheet and to push it into register, or the feed guides can be moved in the direction of the side guide. In any case the sheet will remain with the opposite side edge in the region of the gripper, so that after alignment and printing it can be seized by the gripper and delivered.

The invention will be described further by Way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation view illustrating an impression platen of la platen printing machine constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention and illustrating the platen in an open condition of the press;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the impression platen of FiGURE 1 taken on line IIII of FIG. 3 and illustrates the control mechanism for the feed and side guides;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the impression platen of FIG. 1 and shows the feed guides in a position prior to impression;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to the one shown in FIG. 3 illustrating the feed guides downwardly displaced;

FIG. 5 is a detail elevation view of the right hand side guide;

FIG. 6 is a section taken along line 66 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

PEG. 8 is a plan view of a control cam member for lifting off the side guide from the cylinder dressing or platen to permit the grippers to pass;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of one of two feed guides for the sheet;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view corresponding to FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary side elevation view of the platen machine in the impression position of the impression platen and illustrates the movement mechanism of the lower feed guides and side guides according to the invention;

FIG. 12 is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 11 and illustrates the impression platen in the open position, the feed guides downwardly displaced and the side guide being lowered or lifted off;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of another embodiment of an impression platen having a reversible control cam according to the invention for movement of the feed guides;

FIG. 14 is a cross-section of the impression platen taken on line 1 l-14 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary side elevation view of the impression platen with the feed guides in the impression position for sheet alignment to a left hand side guide;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary section view taken on line 16-16 of FIG. 15, illustrating the control cam adjusted for left hand alignment;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary side elevation view similar to FIG. 15, but with the control cam adjusted for alignment to the right; and

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary section view taken on the line 1818 of FIG. 17.

In the drawing in FIGS. 1 to 10 :a platen printing press is illustrated and is of the type of platen press disclosed in United State Patents 1,180,770 and 1,806,865 in which the sheets or stock to be printed are fed and delivered by means of periodically displaced grippers which carry out opening and closing movement in conjunction with the impression platen and in which the alignment of the sheet fed is effected by a right hand side guide. In this embodiment the lateral or side displacement path of the bottom guides is converted into an opposite direction of movement, by an auxiliary rail adapted to be clamped on the rail carrying the feed guides and a control cam as hereafter described.

The apparatus comprises a base frame 1, on which an impression platen 2 is pivotally mounted so as to be pivotal on a shaft 2a in known manner. Printing stock, for example sheets 3, to be printed are conveyed individually sequentially by a pair of grippers 4 over the impression platen 2 to feed guides 7 and 8. The feed guides 7, 8 are held adjacent the lower edge of the impression surface or face of the platen 2 and parallel thereto for holding the individual sheets 3 in position for printing. The feed guides are moved into this operative raised position and a lowered position as hereafter described. The guides may be provided, for example, with pins 8a for holding the sheets of stock during printing. An operating mechaplaten 2 the grippers are pivoted about a pivot 6 on the impression platen and the sheet 3 is thereby conveyed through 90 to the impression position illustrated in FIG.

1; The. grippers 4 open a few millimeters while the sheet 7 is in this position .so that the sheet 3 drops onto the two feed guides 7 and 8 and fits loosely thereon and can follow the movement, hereafter described, of the two feed guides 7 and 8 through a few millimeters obliquely upward alternatively either in the direction toward a feed guide 9 or 10, until it is supported with one side edge against the guide 9 or 10. I

The two feed guides 7 and 8 are mounted axially adjustable on a supporting rail 11 which is supported by two levers 12 and 13 in their sheet guiding raised or operative position parallel to the lower edge of the platen 2. The levers 12 and 13 are connected to a shaft 14' (FIG. 2) which is rotatably mounted in a bearing 15 in the impression platen 2 and a second bearing 16 in a small bearing pedestal 17 which is secured to the impression platen 2. A roller and cam lever 18 carrying a roller 19 is mounted on the shaft 14 and is constantly urged by means of a compression spring 20 against a control cam 21 for effecting lateral movement of the feed guides toward a lay gauge or side guide 1b, as the lower feed guides 7, 8 are moved into position to receive the lower edge of sheet 3 as hereimpression in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow. The gear wheel 37 is rotated by a flywheel pinion 38. The gear wheel 37 drives a crank shaft and bellcrank levers, not shown, which effect the reciprocating movement of the impression platen 2 in known manner. A'Spring rod 39 which is pivotally secured to the roller lever 33 and a compression spring 40, which is shown fragmentarily andhas its end opposite to that shown supported by means of an abutment, crank lever 33' in a counterclockwise direction thereby urging which is fixed on the base frame constantly urge the cam follower 35 against the cam disc 36. Rotation of the cam 36 actuates the lifting and lowering movement of the feed guides 7, 8.

In FIG; 11 the feed guides 7 and 8 are shown in their uppermost position disposed parallel to the face of the printing platen and adjacent the lower end thereof for holding the sheet 3 and are shown in their lowered position in FIG. 12. In this lowered position the platen is opened and upon the next closing of the platen the lower guides will be lifted into the position shown in FIG. 11 which is the closed or printing position of the platen 2. If printing is to be effected without the use of the feed guides, e.g. envelopes in double position, then the index pin 29 is lifted by means of the manual grip and the coupling to the driving lever 28 is thereby interrupted. The lever 28, in this case, executes its movement loosely on the shaft 14 while the feed guides 7 and 8 remain in their downward position iilustrated in FIG. 12. A tension 7 spring 65'is attached to one end of the index lever 31 after described. The lever 18 has a cam track 22 which controls the lifting and lowering movement of a side guide lever 24, providedwith the side guide 19, by means of a roller or cam follower 23. The lever 24 ispivotally mounted onthe impression platen 2 on a pivot 25. The side guide lever 24 with the side guide 10 is used for left hand 'side alignment. The side guide 10 movement is controlled by the cam track 22. The lever 24 carries the guide 10 in the manner illustrated with respect to a second embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 15 in which a lever 124 comparable to the lever 24 is provided with a removable guide 110 comparable to the guide 10. When the lever 24 is rocked to the position illustrated in FIG. 4 the guide 10 is in a retracted position. When the lever 24 is rocked by the cam track 22 to the position shown in FIG. 3 the guide 10 extends past the impression surface of the platen 2 comparable to the illustration in FIG. 15 and extends into a milled recess in the trailing edge of the individual grippers 4 as soon as the individual grippers 4 assume a vertical position and hence the side guide is able to form a stop for the left band edge of the sheet. After impression each gripper 4 closes and grips the printed sheet but before it executes further movement to convey the printed sheet to the delivery stack, the side guide 10 is retracted under control of the cam roller 23 riding on the cam track 22.

The side guide 10 isnot shown in FIG. 2 since, in this FIGURE F and in FIG. 1, the arrangement for sheet alignment by the right hand side guide 9 is illustrated as later described. Thefeed guides 7 and 3 together with the rail 11 are lifted and lowered during the opening and closing movement of the impression platen 2. The move ment of the feed guides 7 and 8 is effected by way of a tie rod 26 which is articulated with a lever 28 by means of bolts 27. A spring biased index bolt 29 engages, FIGS. 1 and 2,.the lever 28 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 14 and coupling is effected between the lever 28 and a manual index grip 30 whichis rigidly connected to the shaft14 by means of an arm 31. V

The mechanism for lifting and lowering the feed guides are shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Thetie-rod 26 is connected with and actuated by a two-arm roller lever 33 by means of a pin 32. The lever 33 is mounted so as to be rockableonrthe base frame 1 by means of a pivot 34. A roller or cam follower 35 on the crank lever 33 cooperates with a cam disc 36 which is rigidly connected to a gear wheel 37 and executes one revolution for each and retains the stopped feed guides in the downward position, the other end of the spring 65 which is not shown is fixed to the base frame 1. e

A suction bar 62, FIG. 12, removes the individual uppermost sheet from a feed stack 63 and successively transfers the sheets'individually to the grippers 4. In FIG. 4, the feed guides 7, 8 are shown in the downwardly displaced position which they assume when the impression platen has opened, the angle of the grippers 7, 8 from the horizontal is designated by y.

Another guide rail 41 mounted in clamping elements 42 and 43 is provided in addition to the rail 11. The clamping elements are shown in detail in FIG. 7. The clamping element 42 is rigidly and non-displaceably connected to the rail 11 by means of a screw 44 and a plate 45 while the lower rail 41 is displaceably disposed in the clamping elements 42 and 43.

As evident from FIGS. 9 and 10,'the feed guides 7 and 8 are also rigidly connected with the lower guide rail 41 by means of a screw 46 and plate 47. A thin curved steel guide pin 48 which is inserted in a corresponding bore of the feed guide 8 prevents the fed sheet from slipping off the feed guide during alignment.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the outer feed guide 7 is provided with a pin 49 which engages in a groove 5i; of a curved angle piece 51 which is secured to the impression platen 2. During the vertical reciprocating movement of the whole device for the feed guides, the guide rail 41, with the feed guides 7 and 8 clamped thereon,

executes an axial movement in a direction towards the side guide 9. The side guide 9 which is clamped rigidly, FIGS. 1 and 5, on the rail 11 in turn moves in the opposite direction, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1, due to the movement which the cam 21, by way of the roller 19, imparts to the lever 18 and hence to the shaft 14;

The angle piece 51 may be unscrewed from the impression platen 2 and after inserting a screw 52 in the clamping element 42, as shown in FIG. 5 the relative axial movement of the lower guide rail 41 is eliminated audit is connected'rigidly with the upper supporting rail 11. This causes the feed guides 7 and 8 to execute a lateral or side movement in a direction towards the left hand guide 10 with the vertical reciprocating movement of the cam 21. The side guide 10, engages in a cut-out in the platen gripper 4 shown in FIG. 1. The right hand side guide 9 in this case is detached from the rail 11 and removed from the machine. shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 8.

The side guide 9, when in use, is mounted in a clamping element 53, which is rigidly connected to tie rail 11 by means of screws 54. An arm 55 of the side guide 9 carries on its end a lever 56 provided with a pin 57 engaging a cam track 58 disposed in a clamping element 59 clamped to the guide rail 41 by means of screws 50. The arm 55 of the side guide 9 moreover has a thread provided thereon and so the side guide can be displaced laterallyfor fine adjustment by means of a knurled adjusting nut 61. As the rails 11 and 41 execute a movement in the opposite direction to the fed sheet during alignment the pin 57, during the lowering movement of the feed guides, enters the angled part of the cam groove or track 58. As shown in H6. 6 this causes the side guide 9 to be removed and rotated through a small angular amount x, i.e., additionally removed from the impression surface of the impression platen 2. This is necessary to allow the grippers i, which move together with the newly fed sheets over the platen surface 2, to pass the side guides 9 unhindered. When the platen starts the axial movement of rail 11 causes the cam groove 5% to cam the guide 9 to its position adjacent he face of the platen 2 so that it can act as a side guide as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

When the right hand side guide 9 is not being used the two screws 54 are slackened and the clamping element 53, together with the side guide 9 and lever 56 mounted thereon, can be lifted out with the pin 57. The cam element 59 however can remain clamped on the rail 41. The clamping of the side guide 9 firmly in an axial position on the rail 11 and the cam element 5% on rail 41 is effected in accordance with the size of sheet to be processed.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 13 to 18. In this embodiment the reversal of the lateral direction of displacement of two feed guides 197 and 1% is effected by adjusting a control cam 121, which has a different configuration than the control cam 121 shown in the first example.

As shown in detail in FIGS. 15 to 18 the control cam 121 is provided with an index pin 170, which is alternatively engaged in two bores or recesses 171, 172, in the impression platen 1%. By slackening a screw 173 the control earn 121 can be set to either the position shown in FIG. 15 or that shown in FIG. 17. In the first instance a shaft 114, together with the parts connected thereto including FIGS. 13 and 14, the two feed guides 1417 and 1% are moved in the direction towards a left hand side guide 11% as shown in FIG. 13. A roller or cam follower 119 assumes a position in a cam profile illustrated in FTG. 16 to central the upper end position of the two feed guides 16 7 and 108. In the second setting of the control cam 121, as shown in FIG. 17, the cam Details thereof are follower has run off a second cam profile 174, FIG. 18,

and engages in the cam track of the control cam 121. This causes a diagonal movement to the right to be carried out during the upward movement of the feed guides 197 and 1% with the sheet 103 fed onto the feed guides, that is towards the right hand feed guide 113%. The arrangement of the side guide 109 is evident from FIG. 13.

The side guide 1&9 is laterally adjusted on a rail 176 having a longitudinal slot 177, depending on the width of the stock or paper being printed. By slackening a screw 178 the side guide 199 together with the rail 176 can be removed from the machine, if for example, operation is carried out with the left hand side guide 116 only. The rail 176 has an end pin extension accommodated in the bore of a socket 179, which is mounted in a small pedestal bearing 117. A control lever 180 is connected at the end of the socket 179 and is operable, by means not shown, to place the side guide 1% onto the packing of the impression platen 102 with light pressure, and during the feed of a new sheet by the grippers 1:74, to remove the side guide 1119 from the packing. FIG. 12

6 illustrates the side guide 1&9 lifted off the platen in the open position of the impression platen while FIG. 11 shows the side guide 1119 placed on the packing of the impression platen. The driving parts for the whole movement of the feed guides, shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, are identical in both embodiments of the invention.

With regard to the method of operation of the two embodiments the following brief observation is to be made: Normally all printing work is carried out with the side guides 16 or 11% arranged in the position where region of the grippers 4 or 1% open and release the sheets. Should it however become necessary for printing to be carried out on the reverse side after the printing on the front, for example tables, which have to be in exact registry with the front, then the slide guide 9 or 1119 is used which causes the lateral alignment of the sheet like the front surface printing. Diiferences in the cut of the paper are ineffective and the impression on the reverse side of the sheets registers completely with that on the front surface.

As shown in the first embodiment it is necessary to screw the angle piece 51 on the impression platen, FIG. 1, and to unscrew the screw 52, FIG. 5, to reinstate the mobility of the rail 41 with the two feed guides 7 and 3 in the opposite direction to the direction of movement of the rail 11 with the side guide 9. The sheet fed by the gripper 4 to the impression platen 2, which, when the grippers 4 open slightly is placed on the feed guides, is moved during the remainder of the lifting movement of the two feed guides, by a slight amount to the right in the direction towards the side guide 9 by means of the cam 5i and pin 49 on the feed guide 7. The sheet 3, which is seized by the gripper 4 for example by about 5 mm. on the edge is moved through about 1 mm. to the right until the side guide 9 strikes against the right hand edge of the sheet and, as this side guide 9 executes a slight movement to the left, the sheet 3 in turn is slid by a slight amount to the left. In any case the sheet 3 during alignment remains with its edge on the gripper side in the region of the gripper 4 which releases the sheet by a slight opening movement for aligning and irnnression. After impression the grippers 4- close again and seize the left band edge of the sheet to convey the printed sheet onto the delivery stack. When using the side guide 9, the side guide 10 is unscrewed from the side guide lever 24-, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

When printing is to be carried out without left hand or right hand displacement, e.g. envelopes in double position, then the whole movement of the feed guides together with side guide can be shut down, in that the index pin 2,5 is simply disengaged from the driving lever 2113 by means of the handle or grip 319. The grippers 4 in this method of operation remain closed. Reversal is effected in known manner.

It is also possible to remove the whole arrangement for right hand displacement from the machine by unscrewing the angle piece 51 from the impression platen 2 and by detaching the bearing pieces 42 and 4-3 from the rail 11. In the same way it is possible for the side guide 9 to be removed from the rail 11 after completely detaching the clariping element 53 from the rail 11. With frequently changing use of left hand and right hand displacement, the arrangement remains in the machine and is rendered inoperative merely by operating the screw 52, FIG. 5. The angle piece 51 however has to be unscrewed from the impression platen.

The changeover from left hand to right hand displacement is effected more rapidly in the second embodiment since in this case, it is only necessary to remove or insert the right hand side guide 199, as shown in FIG. 13. Moreover, slackening the screw 173 causes adjustment of the control cam 121, since the index pin is engaged in one of the two recesses in the impression platen 2. As soon as the fed sheet 1413, FIG. 13, is placed on the two feed guides 1117 and ms in the printing position when the grippers 1134- have opened slightly, the two feed guides execute a movement directed upwardly and to the right or upwardly to-the left, depending on the adjustment of the control 12 which has been carried out; In this second embodiment no oppositely directed movement is carried out between feed guides and side guides, as the side guide 1&9 executes no lateral movement. The movement of the side guide 1659 consists only in a movement away from the packing, as shown in FIG. 12, to

permit the grippers 4 to pass. The fed sheet 103 has an approximate distance from the side guide 169 of 1 mm. and by the diagonally upwardly directed movement of the two feed guides 107 and 108 with the sheet 103 placed thereon, the latter is carried to the side guide 169 until abutting thereagainst. 104 is reduced by about 1 mm., to permit it to be seized again after printing, FIG. 11, and be conveyed to the delivery stack. 7

While two preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that many modifications and changes can be made within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a platen printing machine having an impression platen operable to an open position for receiving thereon successively individual sheets of stock to be printed and operable to a closed position for printing on said sheets, and gripper means operable automatically to deliver individual sheets of printing stock onto said platen while in its open condition, the improvement which comprises apparatus for register-retaining alignment of said sheets of printing stock comprising a pair of feed guides, means mounting saidfeed guides axially spaced in aligned positions for cooperating with a common lower edge of a sheet of stock delivered to said platen and mounting said feed guides to position said sheets of stock on saidplaten, a pair of side guides disposed for cooperating individually with a respective same side edge of said individual sheets and aligning said sheets individually in conjunction with said feed guides, means automatically operable cyclically to move the feed guides away from said platen downwardly clear of said platen and to return said feed guides to a raised position for guidingand holding said sheets on said platen when said sheets are delivered to said platen, means operable automatically for imparting a lateral movement to said feed guides in one direction during raising of said feed guides and means for alternatively moving said feed guides laterally in an opposite direction during raising thereof thereby importing an upward oblique movement to said feed guides to move said individual sheets alternatively toward said side guides, and

means operable automatically to impart lateral movement to one of said side guides in a direction opposite to the lateral movement imparted to said feed guides when operating with said one side guide to position the opposite sides of each sheet in exact same registry when delivered to said platen.

2. In a platen printing machine having an impression platen operable to an open position for receiving thereon successively individual sheets of stock to be printed and operable to a closed position for printing on said sheets,

The edge seized by the gripper gripper means operable automatically to deliver individual sheets of a printing stock onto said platen while in its open condition, and said gripper means being operable to travel adjacent the impression surface of said platen cyclically when delivering sheets of stock to the platen and removing them therefrom, the improvement which comprises apparatus for register-retaining alignment of said sheets of printing stock comprsing a pair of lower feed guides, means mounting said feed guides axially spaced in aligned positions for cooperating with each individual common lower edge of a sheet of stock delivered to said platen and mounting said feed guides to position said sheets of stock on said platen and hold them in position during printing, a pair of side guides disposed for cooperating alternatively with respective opposite side edges ofsaid sheet and aligning said sheet in conjunction with said lower feed guides, means automatically operable cyclically to move the lower feed guides away from said platen downwardly clear of'said platen and to return saidfeed' guides to a raised position for guiding said sheets when said sheetsare delivered to said platen, means operable automatically for imparting a lateral movement to said feed guides in one direction duringraising of saidfeed guides and means for alternatively moving said feed guides laterally in an opposite direction during raising thereof thereby imparting an upward oblique movement to said lower feed guides to move said individual sheets alternatively toward side guides, means operable automatically to impart lateral movement to one of said side guides in a direction opposite to the lateral movement imparted to said feed guides when cooperating with said one side guide to position the opposite sides of each sheet in exact same registry when delivered to said platen, and means to impart movement to said side guides in synchronism with the operation of said gripper means to move them clear of said platen impression surface to allow said gripper means to rotate and deliver the individual sheets by movement over the impression surface of said platen.

3. In a, platen' printing machine having an impression platen operable to an open position for receiving thereon successively individual sheets of stock to be printed and operable to a closed position for printing on said sheets, and gripper means operable automatically to deliver individual sheets of printing stock onto said platen while in its open condition, and operable to travel over the impression surface of said platen and parallel thereto when delivering said sheets and removing them from said platen after printing, the improvement which comprises apparatus for register-retaining alignment of said sheets of printing stockcomprising a pair of lower feed guides, means mounting said feed guides axially spaced in aligned positions for cooperating with a common lower edge of the individual sheets of stock and mounting said feed guides to position said sheets of stock on said platen and hold them in position during printing, a pair of side guides for alternatively cooperating with a given side edge of said sheet and aligning said sheet in conjunction With said lower feed guides, means automatically operable cyclically to move the feed guides away from said platen downwardly clear of said platen and to return saidlower feed guides. to a raised position for guiding said sheets when said sheets are delivered to said platen, means operable automatically for imparting a lateral movement to said. feed guides in onevdirection during raising of said feed guides'and means for alternatively moving said feed. guides laterally in an opposite direction during raising thereof thereby imparting an upward oblique'movement to said lower feed guides to move said individual sheets toward side guides alternatively and means operable automatically to impart movement to one of said side guides in a direction opposite to the direction of lateral movement imparted to said feed guides when cooperating with said one side guide to position each sheet side in an exact preselected registry when delivered to said platen.

' 4. In a platen printing machine according to claim 3, in which said means mounting said lower feed guides comprises a rotatable shaft on said platen, arms on said shaft, a rail fixed to said arms for supporting said lower feed guides, and said means for imparting an upward oblique movement to said lower feed guides comprises a lever arm fixed to said rotatable shaft, and pivotal on said platen, a cam follower onsaid lever arm, a cam cooperative with said follower for imparting said oblique movement in dependence upon said raising of said lower feed guides to said raised position.

5. In a platen printing machine according to claim 4, including means to remove said one side guide.

6. In a platen printing machine according to claim 4,

including means to move said lower feed guides axially apart or toward each other on said rail to accommodate for various size sheets of stock.

7. In a platen printing machine according to claim 4, including means to selectively position said one side guide to accommodate for various size sheets of printing stock.

8. In a platen printing machine according to claim 4, in which said means to impart movement to said one side guide toward the other side guide comprises means rendered effective by said means for returning said lower feed guides to a raised position.

9. In a platen printing machine according to claim 8, including means to render ineifective said means to return said feed guides to said raised position thereby to render ineffective said one side guide and said lower feed guides.

10. In a platen printing machine having an impression platen operable to an open position for receiving thereon successively individual sheets of stock to be printed and operable to a closed position for printing on said sheets, and gripper means operable automatically to deliver individual sheets of printing stock onto said platen while in its open condition, the improvement which comprises apparatus for register-retaining alignment of said sheets of printing stock comprising a pair of feed guides, means mounting said feed guides axially spaced in aligned positions for cooperating with a common lower edge of a sheet of stock delivered to said platen and mounting said feed guides to position said sheets of stock on said platen, a pair of side guides disposed for cooperating individually with a respective same side edge of said individual sheets and aligning said sheets individually in conjunction with said feed guides, means automatically operable cyclically to move the feed guides away from said platen downwardly clear of said platen and to return said feed guides to a raised position for guiding and holding said sheets on said platen when said sheets are delivered to said platen, means operable automatically for imparting a lateral movement to said feed guides in one direction during raising of said feed guides and means for alternatively moving said feed guides laterally in an opposite direction during raising thereof thereby imparting an upward oblique movement to said feed guides to move said individual sheets alternatively toward said side guides, and means for mounting said side guides stationary and including means operable automatically to impart lateral movement to one of said side guides in a direction opposite to the lateral movement imparted to said feed guides when cooperating with said one side guide to position the opposite sides of each sheet in exact same registry when delivered to said platen.

11. In a platen printing machine having an impression platen operable to an open position for receiving thereon successively individual sheets of stock to be printed and operable to a closed position for printing on said sheets, and gripper means operable automatically to deliver individual sheets of printing stock onto said platen while in its open condition, the improvement which comprises apparatus for register-retaining alignment of said sheets of printing stock comprising a pair of feed guides, means mounting said feed guides axially spaced in aligned positions for cooperating with a common lower edge of a sheet of stock delivered to said platen and mounting said feed guides to position said sheets of stock on said platen, a pair of side guides disposed for cooperating individually with a respective same side edge of said individual sheets and aligning said sheets individually in conjunction with said feed guides, means automatically operable cyclically to move the feed guides away from said platen downwardly clear of said platen and to return said feed guides to a raised position for guiding and holding said sheets on said platen when said sheets are delivered to said platen, means operable automatically for imparting a lateral movement to said feed guides in one direction during raising of said feed guides and means for alternatively moving said feed guides laterally in an opposite direction during raising thereof thereby imparting an upward oblique movement to said feed guides to move said individual sheets alternatively toward said side guides, and means mounting said side guides stationary.

12. In a platen printing machine having an impression platen operable to an open position for receiving thereon successively individual sheets of stock to be printed and operable to a closed position for printing on said sheets, and gripper means operable automatically to deliver individual sheets of printing stock onto said platen while in open condition, the improvement which comprises apparatus for register-retaining alignment of said sheets of printing stock comprising a pair of feed guides, means mounting said feed guides axially spaced in aligned positions for cooperating with a common edge of a sheet of stock delivered to said platen and mounting said feed guides to position said sheets of stock on said platen and hold them thereon during printing, a pair of side guides disposed for cooperating individually with a respective same side edge of said individual sheets and aligning said sheets individually in conjunction with said feed guides, means automatically operable cyclically to move the feed guides away from said platen clear of said platen and to return said feed guides to an operative position for guiding and holding said sheets on said platen when said sheets are delivered to said platen, means operable automatically for imparting a lateral movement to said feed guides during their return to said operative position thereby to impart an oblique movement to said feed guides to move said individual sheets toward one of said side guides, means operable selectively to automatically impart movement to said one side guide in a direction opposite to the direction of lateral movement of said feed guides to posi tion the opposite sides of each sheet in exact same registry when delivered to said platen.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,095,126 4/14 Rogers et al 271-58 1,170,994 2/16 Rogers 271-58 1,753,321 4/30 Buchanan et a1 101-287 2,565,459 8/51 Willett 101-287 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A PLATEN PRINTING MACHINE HAVING AN IMPRESSION PLATEN OPERABLE TO AN OPEN POSITION FOR RECEIVING THEREON SUCCESSIVELY INDIVIDUAL SHEETS OF STOCK TO BE PRINTED AND OPERABLE TO A CLOSED POSITION FOR PRINTING ON SAID SHEETS, AND GRIPPER MEANS OPERABLE AUTOMATICALLY TO DELIVER INDIVIDUAL SHEETS OF PRINTING STOCK ONTO SAID PLATEN WHILE IN ITS OPEN CONDITION, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES APPARATUS FOR REGISTER-RETAINING ALIGNMENT OF SAID SHEETS OF PRINTING STOCK COMPRISING A PAIR OF FEED GUIDES, MEANS MOUNTING SAID FEED GUIDES AXIALLY SPACED IN ALIGNED POSITIONS FOR COOPERATING WITH A COMMON LOWER EDGE OF A SHEET OF STOCK DELIVERED TO SAID PLATEN AND MOUNTING SAID FEED GUIDES TO POSITION SAID SHEETS OF STOCK ON SAID PLATEN A PAIR OF SIDE GUIDES DISPOSED FOR COOPERATING INDIVIDUALLY WITH A RESPECTIVE SAME SIDE EDGE OF SAID INDIVIDUAL SHEETS AND ALIGNING SAID SHEETS INDIVIDUALLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SAID FEED GUIDES, MEANS AUTOMATICALLY OPERABLE CYCLICALLY TO MOVE THE FEED GUIDES AWAY FROM SAID PLATEN DOWNWARDLY CLEAR OF SAID PLATEN AND TO RETURN SAID FEED GUIDES TO A RAISED POSITION FOR GUIDING AND HOLDING SAID SHEETS ON SAID PLATEN WHEN SAID SHEETS ARE DELIVERED TO SAID PLATEN, MEANS OPERABLE AUTOMATICALLY FOR IMPARTING A LATERAL MOVEMENT TO SAID FEED GUIDES IN ONE DIRECTION DURING RAISING OF SAID FEEDING GUIDES AND MEANS FOR ALTERNATIVELY MOVING SAID FEED GUIDES LATERALLY IN AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION DURING RAISING THEREOF THEREBY IMPORTING AN UPWARD OBLIQUE MOVEMENT TO SAID FEED GUIDES TO MOVE SAID INDIVIDUAL SHEETS ALTERNATIVELY TOWARD SAID SIDE GUIDES, AND MEANS OPERABLE AUTOMATICALLY TO IMPART LATERAL MOVEMENT TO ONE OF SAID SIDE GUIDES IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THE LATERAL MOVEMENT IMPARTED TO SAID FEED GUIDES WHEN OPERATING WITH SAID ONE SIDE GUIDE TO POSITION THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF EACH SHEET IN EXACT SAME REGISTRY WHEN DELIVERED TO SAID PLATEN. 